System of multi-hull unmanned underwater vehicles with variable-geometry hulls

ABSTRACT

System of unmanned underwater vehicles with multiple variable-geometry internally pressurized flexible hulls (that enable the underwater vehicle to submerge/emerge and change submersion depth by varying hull&#39;s buoyancy and not the vehicle weight) and possibly at least one pressure hull housing e.g. accumulators and electronic steering system. Each flexible hull is composed of a number of flexible hull segments modules.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a system of unmanned underwater vehicles with multiple variable-geometry internally pressurized flexible hulls (that enable the underwater vehicle to submerge/emerge and change submersion depth by varying hull's buoyancy and not the vehicle weight) and possibly at least one pressure hull housing e.g. accumulators and electronic steering system. Each flexible hull is composed of a number of flexible hull segment modules.

STATE OF THE ART AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Known conventional underwater vehicles destined to operate at varying submersion depths have rigid hulls of substantial strength, made of materials, the specific density of which is several times greater than the specific density of water. Such hulls are heavy, therefore the buoyancy/weight ratio is small, which substantially limits payload available. Moreover, steering machinery of known underwater vehicles needed to operate a vehicle at varying submersion depth includes ballast tanks, which are pressure vessels of considerable strength, hence heavy, pumps, plumbing and auxiliaries, which makes the system heavy, complicated, and costly. U.S. Pat. No. 9,776,694 provides an underwater unmanned vehicle with a single variable-geometry internally pressurized hull that enables the underwater vehicle to submerge/emerge and change submersion depth by varying hull's buoyancy and not the vehicle weight, which makes the vehicle hull lightweight, and renders separate mechanisms for changing submersion depth become unnecessary; this provides for a structurally simple, lightweight, and cost-effective unmanned underwater vehicle, the payload of which can be substantially increased in comparison with conventional solutions. However, it was found experimentally that more stable multi-hull designs would be valuable for heavy-duty operations, and vehicles with vertically positioned hulls would be advantageous for fulfilling certain tasks, like e.g. lifting heavy objects; moreover, possibility to build underwater vehicles of various payloads and destined for various tasks out of a limited number of unified modules would be very advantageous.

Thus there is a need for a system of unmanned underwater vehicles of simple and lightweight construction and substantial payload, forming a unified family of vehicles of modular design.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The principal object of the instant invention is to provide a modular system of structurally simple unmanned underwater vehicles of lightweight structure.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a system of modular unmanned underwater vehicles with simple submerging/emerging system without ballast tanks, pumps, plumbing and associated auxiliaries.

Yet more specific object of the invention is to provide a system of modular unmanned underwater vehicles with a number of variable geometry hulls (the buoyancy of which can be changed, thus enabling the vehicle to vary its submersion depth), which can be changed at will, thus adapting the vehicle to various tasks.

These and other objectives are achieved according to the instant invention by providing a modular system of unmanned underwater vehicles, wherein each vehicle of the system is composed of a first number of internally pressurized flexible hulls attached to a second number of pressure hulls, and possibly a third number of drive modules fixed to some of the flexible and/or pressure hulls; wherein the flexible hull may be composed of a number of flexible hull segments, wherein the buoyancy of each flexible hull segment of the flexible hull can be varied (preferably by changing its length), thus enabling the vehicle to vary its submersion depth; wherein the flexible hull segment is a first module of the system, the pressure hull is a second module of the system, and the drive module is a third module of the system; wherein some of the flexible hulls may be connected to some of the pressure hulls with the help of a fourth number of first connecting elements; wherein the members of some couples of the flexible hulls of said first number of flexible hulls may be connected with one another with the help of a fifth number of second connecting elements; wherein the members of some couples of the pressure hulls of said second number of pressure hulls may be connected with one another with the help of a sixth number of third connecting elements; wherein each drive module of said third number of drive modules is attached to one flexible hull of said first number of flexible hulls, or to one pressure hull of said second number of pressure hulls, with the help of a seventh number of fourth connecting elements; wherein the first connecting element, resp. the second connecting element, resp. the third connecting element, resp. the fourth connecting element forms the fourth, resp. the fifth, resp. the sixth, resp. the seventh module of the system. The flexible hull segment module of the unmanned underwater vehicle system according to the instant invention is filled with a gas, typically pressurized carbon dioxide, the pressure of which is adjusted so as to slightly exceed the pressure of water at given submersion depth, which allows the hull to be of exceptionally lightweight structure, and submersion depth steering system to be very simple, lightweight, and inexpensive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the multi-hull unmanned underwater vehicle are shown in accompanying drawings; like numerals refer to like vehicle's elements throughout all the figures.

FIG. 1 is a general view of the first module of the system of multi-hull unmanned underwater vehicles according to the instant invention, i.e. the flexible hull segment module, wherein numeral 10 refers generally to the flexible hull segment module, numeral 11 refers to a flexible section of the hull segment, numeral 12 refers to a first external frame placed at a first end of the flexible hull segment 11; numeral 121 refers generally to holes placed on the external frame 12; numeral 13 refers to a second external frame placed at a second end of the flexible hull segment 11; numeral 131 refers generally to holes placed on the external frame 13;

FIG. 2 is a simplified view of the interior of the flexible hull segment module showing a hull segment module's geometry control system, where numeral 14 refers generally to the flexible hull length control system, numeral 141 refers to an actuator, numeral 142 refers to a pulley, and numeral 143 refers to a cable;

FIG. 3 is a general view of a pressure hull module, where numeral 15 refers generally to the pressure hull module, and numeral 151 refers to a flange on the pressure hull module 15;

FIG. 4 is a general view of the drive module, marked with number 16, wherein numeral 166 refers generally to a propeller;

FIG. 5 is another general view of the drive module;

FIG. 6 is a view of the first connecting element, marked with number 17;

FIG. 7 is a view of the second connecting element, marked with number 18;

FIG. 8 is a general view from the top of a first preferred embodiment of the invention, which is an unmanned underwater vehicle according to the instant invention with two flexible hulls, each composed of two flexible hull segment modules, and one pressure hull positioned between the two flexible hulls, where numeral 30 refers generally to the vehicle, numeral 31 refers to the vehicle's first flexible hull, numeral 311 refers to a first flexible hull segment module of the first flexible hull, numeral 312 refers to a second flexible hull segment module of the first flexible hull, numeral 32 refers to the vehicle's second flexible hull, numeral 321 refers to a first flexible hull segment module of the second flexible hull, numeral 322 refers to a second flexible hull segment module of the second flexible hull, numerals 331, 332, 333, 334 refer to four drive modules, and numeral 34 refers to the pressure hull;

FIG. 9 is another general view of the first preferred embodiment of the unmanned underwater vehicle according to the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a frontal view of the first preferred embodiment of the unmanned underwater vehicle according to the present invention, exhibiting first connecting elements 17 connecting the two elastic hulls with one another, and second connecting elements 18 connecting the two elastic hulls with the pressure hull;

FIG. 11 is a view from the bottom of the first preferred embodiment of the unmanned underwater vehicle according to the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a rear view of the first preferred embodiment of the unmanned underwater vehicle according to the present invention, exhibiting first connecting elements 17 connecting the two elastic hulls with one another, and second connecting elements 18 connecting the two elastic hulls with the pressure hull;

FIG. 13 is a general side view of a second preferred embodiment of the invention, which is a vertical version of the unmanned underwater vehicle according to the instant invention with one pressure hull and three flexible hulls, each composed of one flexible hull segment module and one drive module, wherein numeral 50 refers generally to the vehicle, numeral 51 refers to the vehicle's first flexible hull, numeral 52 refers to the vehicle's second flexible hull, numeral 53 refers to the vehicle's third flexible hull, numeral 60 refers to the pressure hull, and numerals 513, 523, refer to two drive modules shown in this picture;

FIG. 14 is another general view of the second preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 15 is a general view from the bottom of the second preferred embodiment of the invention, where numerals 513, 523, 533 refer to three drive modules, and numeral 18 refers to three elements connecting flexible hulls to the pressure hull;

FIG. 16 is a general view of a third preferred embodiment of the invention, which is an unmanned underwater vehicle according to the instant invention with two flexible hulls, each composed of two flexible hull segment modules and two driving modules, without pressure hull, where numeral 30 refers generally to the vehicle, numeral 31 refers to the vehicle's first flexible hull, numeral 311 refers to a first flexible hull segment module of the first flexible hull, numeral 312 refers to a second flexible hull segment module of the first flexible hull, numeral 32 refers to the vehicle's second flexible hull, numeral 321 refers to a first flexible hull segment module of the second flexible hull, numeral 17 refers to elements connecting the two elastic hulls to one another, and numerals 331, 332, 333, 334, refer to drive modules;

FIG. 17 is an upper view of the third preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 18 is a general frontal view of the third preferred embodiment of the unmanned underwater vehicle according to the present invention, exhibiting the first connecting elements joining the two flexible hulls with one another, and two frontal drive modules;

FIG. 19 is a general view of a fourth preferred embodiment of the invention, a multi-hull unmanned underwater vehicle composed of one pressure hull and two clusters of flexible hulls, each cluster having 7 flexible hulls, wherein numeral 60 refers generally to the vehicle, numeral 61 refers generally to the vehicle's first cluster of flexible hulls, numeral 61S refers generally to the first cluster's side flexible hulls, and numeral 61C refers to the central flexible hull of the first cluster of seven flexible hulls 61; numerals 61S1, 61S2 refer generally to flexible hull segment modules of the side flexible hulls 61S, numerals 61C1, 61C2 refer generally to flexible hull segment modules of the central flexible hull 61C; numeral 62 refers generally to the vehicle's second cluster of flexible hulls, numeral 62S refers generally to the second cluster's side elastic modules, and numeral 62C refers to the central flexible hull of the second cluster of seven flexible hulls 62, numerals 62S1, 62S2 refer generally to flexible hull segment modules of the side flexible hulls 62S, numerals 61C1, 61C2 refer generally to flexible hull segment modules of the central flexible hull 62C, numerals 63, 64 refer to pressure hulls, and numeral 601 refers generally to drive modules.

FIG. 20 is a view from the bottom of the fourth preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 21 is a frontal view of the fourth preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 22 is an upper view of the fourth preferred embodiment of the invention;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A preferred embodiment of the unmanned underwater vehicle flexible hull segment module 10 according to the present invention (FIGS. 1, 2 ), intended for illustrative purposes only, and not intended to limit the scope of the inventive ideas in any way, has a flexible section of the hull segment 11 closed by a first external frame 12 placed at a first end of the flexible hull segment 11, and a second external frame 13 placed at a second end of the flexible hull segment 11. FIG. 2 is a simplified view of the interior of the flexible hull segment module showing a hull segment module's geometry control system 14, which in this instance is the flexible hull segment length control system, wherein said hull segment module's geometry control system 14 is composed of at least an actuator 141 anchored with its first end in the first external frame 12 and its second end anchored to the second external frame 13. The actuator 141 shortens and lengthens thus changing the length and buoyancy of the flexible hull segment 11.

A first preferred embodiment of the multi-hull underwater vehicle, according to the instant invention (FIGS. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 , see also FIGS. 1-7 ), has two flexible hulls, each composed of two flexible hull segment modules: a first flexible hull 31, composed of a first flexible hull segment module 311 of the first flexible hull, and a second flexible hull segment module 312 of the first flexible hull; wherein a first drive module 331 is fixed to the first flexible hull segment module 311; wherein a second drive module 332 is fixed to the second flexible hull segment module 312; and a second flexible hull 32 composed of a third flexible hull segment module 321 of the second flexible hull, and a fourth flexible hull segment module 322 of the second flexible hull; wherein a third drive module 333 is fixed to the third flexible hull segment module 321; wherein a fourth drive module 334 is fixed to the fourth flexible hull segment module 322. The axes of rotation of the propellers of the drive modules may be inclined relative the longitudinal axes of the flexible hulls 31 and 32 at non-zero angles, possibly variable, in order to make the unmanned underwater vehicle stable. Interposed between the two flexible hulls 31 and 32 there is one pressure hull 34 intended for housing accumulators, electronic control units, and auxiliary equipment (not shown). Each of the flexible hulls 31 and 32 is connected to the pressure hull 34 (FIGS. 8, 9 ) with the help of a number of the first connecting elements 17. Preferably, all the flexible hull segment modules 311, 312, 321, 322 are equipped with the geometry control system.

A second preferred embodiment of the invention (FIGS. 13, 14, 15 ) is a vertical version 50 of the unmanned underwater vehicle according to the instant invention, intended to be utilized as an underwater lift. It is composed of three flexible hull segment modules: a first flexible hull segment module 51, a second flexible hull segment module 52, a third flexible hull segment module 53, and a pressure hull 60; wherein the first flexible hull segment module 51, the second flexible hull segment module 52, and the third flexible hull segment module 53 are connected to the pressure hull 60 with the help of connecting elements 18; wherein a first drive module 513, a second drive module 523, and a third drive module 533 are attached fixedly to the first flexible hull segment module 51, the second flexible hull segment 52, and the third flexible hull segment 53 respectively. Preferably, all three flexible hull segment modules 51, 52, 53 are equipped with the geometry control system as described hereinbefore (not shown).

FIG. 15 is a general view from the bottom of the second preferred embodiment of the invention, exhibiting peculiar placement of the four drive modules 513, 523, and 533.

FIGS. 16, 17, 18 show a third preferred embodiment of the invention, which is an unmanned underwater vehicle 30 according to the instant invention with two flexible hulls attached fixedly to one another: a first flexible hull 31 composed of a first couple of flexible hull segment modules 311 and 312, and a second flexible hull 32 composed of a second couple of flexible hull segment modules 321 and 322; two flexible hull segment modules of each couple of flexible hull segment modules are connected with one another through their external rigid frames. Attached fixedly to the first flexible hull 31, resp. the second flexible hull 32, there are two drive modules 331 and 332, resp. 333 and 334. Preferably, all the flexible hull segment modules 311, 312, 321, 322, are equipped with the geometry control system as described above (not shown). FIG. 18 is a general frontal view of the second preferred embodiment of the unmanned underwater vehicle according to the present invention, exhibiting the first connecting elements 17 joining the two flexible hulls 31, 32, to one another, and two front drive modules 331, 333.

FIGS. 19, 20, 21, 22 show a fourth preferred embodiment of the invention, a multi-hull unmanned underwater vehicle 60 composed of a pressure hull 63, and two clusters of flexible hulls, each cluster having seven flexible hulls. Thus the unmanned underwater vehicle 60 has a first cluster 61 of seven flexible hulls 61S and 61C, wherein six side flexible hulls 61S surrounds one central flexible hull 61C, wherein each side flexible hull 61S is composed of two flexible hull segment modules 61S1 and 61S2, and the central flexible hull 61C is composed of two flexible hull segment modules 61C1 and 61C2, wherein the members of some couples of the flexible hulls 61S, 61C may be connected to one another with the help of the second connecting elements 18, wherein some of the side flexible hulls 61S are connected to the pressure hull 63 with the help of a number of the first connecting elements 17; and a second cluster 62 of seven flexible hulls 62S and 62C, wherein six side flexible hulls 62S surrounds one central flexible hull 62C, wherein each side flexible hull 61S is composed of two flexible hull segment modules 62S1 and 62S2, and the central flexible hull 62C is composed of two flexible hull segment modules 62C1 and 62C2, wherein the members of some couples of the flexible hulls 62S, 62C are connected to one another with the help of the second connecting elements 18, wherein some of the side flexible hulls 62S may be connected to the pressure hull 63 with the help of a number of the first connecting elements 17. To some of the flexible hulls 61S, 61C, 62S, 62C there are attached fixedly drive modules 601; alternatively, drive modules may be attached fixedly to some of the flexible hulls 61S, 61C, 62S, 62C and to the pressure hull 63, or exclusively to the pressure hull 63. Some of the flexible hulls 61S, 61C, 62S, 62C, e. g. only the central flexible hulls 61C, 62C, may be equipped with the geometry control system.

Those skilled in the art of underwater vehicles would easily recognize that many changes can be made to the presented preferred embodiments of the invention without departing from its basic conception, and its true nature and spirit. 

We claim:
 1. An underwater unmanned vehicle with variable geometry flexible hull, wherein the underwater unmanned vehicle with variable geometry flexible hull contains at least a first number N1 of flexible hulls; wherein an nth flexible hull of the first number N1 of flexible hulls is composed of an nth number n1 of flexible hull segment modules connected to one another, wherein n=1, 2, . . . , N1.
 2. The underwater unmanned vehicle with variable geometry flexible hull according to claim 1, wherein the flexible hull segment module has a central section made of a flexible pipe, wherein the central section made of a flexible pipe has a first end and a second end; wherein a first rigid frame is connected to the first end of the central section made of a flexible pipe, and a second rigid frame is connected to the second end of the central section made of a flexible pipe.
 3. The underwater unmanned vehicle with variable geometry flexible hull according to claim 2, wherein the flexible hull segment module has an actuator changing the length of the flexible hull segment module.
 4. The underwater unmanned vehicle with variable geometry flexible hull according to claim 2, wherein at least one rigid frame among the first rigid frame and the second rigid frame has a rigid baffle forming a water-tight closure of the flexible hull segment module at the first end of the central section made of a flexible pipe or at the second end of the central section made of a flexible pipe.
 5. The underwater unmanned vehicle with variable geometry flexible hull according to claim 1, wherein the underwater unmanned vehicle with variable geometry flexible hull has at least one pressure hull connected to at least one flexible hull.
 6. The underwater unmanned vehicle with variable geometry flexible hull according to claim 1, wherein the underwater unmanned vehicle with variable geometry flexible hull has at least one drive module connected to at least one flexible hull.
 7. The underwater unmanned vehicle with variable geometry flexible hull according to claim 5, wherein the underwater unmanned vehicle with variable geometry flexible hull has at least one drive module connected to at least one pressure hull.
 8. The underwater unmanned vehicle with variable geometry flexible hull according to claim 6, wherein the drive module contains at least a prime mover and a propeller, wherein the propeller is connected to the prime mover.
 9. The underwater unmanned vehicle with variable geometry flexible hull according to claim 8, wherein the prime mover is an electric motor.
 10. The underwater unmanned vehicle with variable geometry flexible hull according to claim 5, wherein said at least one pressure hull houses a source of electric current.
 11. The underwater unmanned vehicle with variable geometry flexible hull according to claim 5, wherein said at least one pressure hull houses a control unit. 